For plenty of Torontonians, proximity to an outdoor skating rink is a definite real-estate perk. These homes are for hockey fans looking for a place to pass the puck, and pink-cheeked romantics wanting to glide hand-in-hand on home ice.
LONG BRANCH: 19 Elder Ave.
The price: $424,900. Last sold for $348,000 (2011).
The draw: Clean lines and white walls make this well-kept three-bedroom bungalow seem almost spacious. The big backyard is perfect for summer barbecues; in winter, head to the tree-lined skating trail at Colonel Sam Smith Park.
The catch: The lofty master bedroom is a generous 340 square feet, but there’s no closet or door to the room, and the sloped ceiling will mean a few bumped heads. The bathtub is a strange marbled brown, one flaw in the home’s neutral, adaptable design.
LEDBURY PARK: 1555 Avenue Rd., Unit A-502.
The price: $559,000. Maintenance fees $1,046.
The draw: This two-storey, two-bedroom, 1,250-square-foot penthouse has a cathedral ceiling in the huge master bedroom. A wood-burning fireplace is a nice bonus after midnight shinny games at the unfenced rink in Ledbury Park.
The catch: If you can afford the outrageous maintenance fees, then also shell out to replace the boring broadloom in the bedrooms. This is definitely not a trendy or buzzy neighbourhood—and long-term residents like it that way, thanks very much.
WALLACE EMERSON: 1215 Dovercourt Rd.
The price: $449,000. Last sold for $347,000 (2009).
The draw: Skylights help brighten this renovated bungalow, which has hardwood and slate flooring and a big yard that could fit an addition. The skate-rental shop at nearby Wallace Emerson rink is open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The catch: The second bedroom is under the peaked roof—the ceiling seems low for parents, but the ladder won’t work for little kids. St. Clair is just far enough away that streetcar access is annoying, but there are some regular bus routes within walking distance.
RYERSON: 155 Dalhousie St., Unit 718.
The price: $379,000. Maintenance fees $421.
The draw: Marble countertops and 12-foot ceilings enhance the industrial-chic vibe in this 740-square-foot loft in a converted warehouse. It’s beside Ryerson University and minutes away from the urban-skating scene at Nathan Phillips Square.
The catch: The condo is advertised as having a bedroom and a den, but this is an open-concept space with a bed platform and computer nook. Don’t expect to power nap while your partner enjoys a bloodthirsty growl-fest on The Walking Dead.
